The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-13
AWORDABOUTTHELEVEES
IN THE NEIGaBORHOOD OF LII.
LU, MISSISSIPPI.
Investigation Of the Convict Farm
Farming Operations ia the Del.
lahore Railroads.
IsrkoIAL TO TIE LrrEAL.I

lElH W tuN ilNSI WI yCotuIuay SudoiCu
your correspondent 10 take q birds
eye view of the o d Eater OF Waters
as his surging pillows go rushing
headloug to the Gulf regardless Of
the destruction it leaves in Us wake.
Our river prophet, Col. Miles, Of
Helena, is not writing msch now
about the river, but he is evidently
engaged in some tall figuring as to
the future outcome Of the fearful
food Of water that is fast pouring by
our doors and increasing in hight
aud volume with each recurring day.
The water is not so high now al Hell
eua as the overflow OF 1886 by three
or four feet, and each days rise is in
itself modest enough to suit the taste
of anyone, but the continuation Of the
rise, though slight it may be, is what
alarms us; then, too, we are remind
cd that the little drops Of water
and small grains OF sand make the
mighty ocean.
Thanks to the efforts Of our very
excellent Board of heveo Commits
sioners for the YazDo DNha, We on
this side of the river are high and
dry, while our less fortunate breth-
rem across the stream, on the Arkan-
sas side (whore they have failed to
put up heir levoss), are badly over
flowed, and of course, Tor the nonoe,
all farming operations arc at stand
still. Oar Arkansas neEhbors seem
to prefer high water to high taxes,
but the contrary is true OF us on this
side of the river. We pay a pretty
heavy tax to keep up our system Of
levees, but n glance at the magnih-
cent structure our Board of Com
missioners has given us will satisfy
the mind Of the most stubborn non
believer that levees, when properly
constructed, even along the banks of
the mighty Mississippi, do protect,
and the money we pay annually to
keep up the levoes is well spent
Your correspondent has made an in
speetion OF our levee, and while a
great deal of fresh earth has recently
been put upon it, he pronounces it
PROFESSIONALLY the finest loyee we
have ever had. And if anything
will withstand this mighty rush Of
waters, it would seem that the pres
ont levee should. But then great
deal depends upon the vigilance OF
our officials, less sloughing or caving
may occur. A good substantial levee
seems now necessity for our coun-
try, as the floods are becoming more
frequent and more disastrous than in
former years.
An investigation is now in progress
at Coahoma, the first station below
here on the Louisville, New Orleans
and Texas railroad, by tho Board of
Control Of the Mississippi State
penitentiary as to the management
d care of the couvicts until re-
ceutly at work upon the plantation
of Messrs. Hemingway Il Townsend.
A number OF witnesses have been
summoned before them.
1t seems that the lease of these
gentlemen, who were sub lessees un-
der Hamilton, Hoskins 4 Co., ex-
PRED on the lst Of January of this
year, at which time the conyicts in
their charge were placed at work
upon the levecs in Coahoma county.
The cha sc that the Board Of Con-
troll is now investigating is that some
of the conviCts had been mistreated
or misused while in tho employ of
Messrs. Hemingway e. Townsend.
These are most excellent, kind and
humane men, and will, no doubt,
succeed in clearing their skirts to
the satisfaction OF tho gentlemen
comprising the Board Of Control.
Farming operations are in full
blast, and all Of our planters arc as
busy as bees. There will be q con
siderable increase Of acreage in cult
walton this year as compared with
last, aud all Of our people, il seems,
have taken on renewed energy. There
is more clearing, building Of new
fences and digging bitches than is
common at this season Of the year.
And il He, who tempers the wind to
the shorn lamb, will only send us
good seasons and save us from an
overflow from the Mississippi river,
we will have an abundant harvest
this year, and for which We will be
most grateful.
Mr. A. Ia. Roby, who has been
assistant depot agent here oil tho Val
ley road, left yesterday 10 tak charge
Of the office at Rolling Fork. Mr..
ROby is one OF tho best business men
on the line of the road, and will mako |
friends wherever he goes
1t is very gratifying TO your many
readers hcreabOuts to note the pro-
gross your grand old city is making |
in many ways, and nothing tends |
more to build up city and advance
her interests than the press. There
fore this fact should meet substan-
tial appreciation at tho hands Of her
business men and capitalists. Mem
phis is not enjoying the boom Of a
Chattanooga or Birminp ham, but her |
motto seems to be Coward and |
upward" " and while there is nothing
in her growth to run the Spectator
mad, it is substantial and lasting.
And while speaking of b0oms, your |
readers must not lose sight of the
fact that here, in the Ya2oo Delta,
lies one Of the grandest countries on
top Of the earth, and in
the course Of few years, when a
few more railroads, that are now in
contemplation, shall have con
structed their lines, this country
will show a degree OF development
that will be unequaled or surpassed
by any section Of the habitable
globe. 1t will soon be The center Of
the agricultural population of the
cotton States, for here anything that
will grow in the ground oan be pro.
duced, and there is no end to the fer